Post on 11-Oct-2020
NOTES ON A COLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS FORMED BY MR. E. G. HERBERT, C .M·Z.S. , M·B·O.U.
( cont i·n'I.Led f?'O?n Jl· 216 ).
] 09. PH .. -I.TIN COLA 'I'OR<W A'I'A PRZWA.LSKll.
409
Prcbt·in collb 1JWU1'Cb, Vf.Ll' . P?·zwcdsh·i, Pleske, vViss. R es. P rzwalskii ,
RieseL', V ogel, l , p. 46 (1 88 9).
c3 juv. , o, 2 c;1 Krabin, C. S iam, H-17.11.1 5.
6 Maprit, P. Siam, 1.1.16.
2 6 c;1 Samkok, C. Siam, U-17.3.16.
I pla~e these birds provisionally under this name, but their
position is very doubt ful , as is otten the case with many migrant
specirnens of P.m,tincola. They aee typically large birds, the malfls
ha ving wings over 72 mm. and the females between 67 and 69 mm.
This is an extremely co mmon breeding bird over the whole of the.
Himalayas a nd northem Burmese hills, and feom the huge mass of
material in the British Museum of mig ra.tory birds in India, Burma
anJ China it is ea.sy to pick out series which would ag ree with any
<J ne of the three forms supposed to come within these limi ts. It;
sp ite of their l t~rge si;.r. c, the white o n th e sides oE the neck a nd on
the breast is very extensive, and the und er pn.rl s see 111 vet·y pa le
wh en compar ed \\'i t h typica l _[)1'2/Walski i.
110. HYDH OC ICHLA b'HO :\'I'ALI S.
/;', ~ icw · l u:; f1'11ntali8 , Bly t h, J . A. S. H. xv i, p. J:)(j (I SH) .
<' ~ Tttllg Song, P. 8 ia m, 12 . ~J.J 5.
I ll. HY I>ItoC I C'HL..\ lt.l.ii'' IC: AI'lL LA.
A' 11 icw·us ,· ujicapilln~, 'l'e111m . ] >J. Col. iii , pl. [i :l ~- (1 f.i:l~).
6 .iu\·. 'i! Tung Song. P. l::kt tlt , J G- LK.9.1 5.
'l'hu ~·oun ~ tn n.le is lik e a n nd nlt i' l' Jn n, l,· , Hllll sh e 11· ~ no signs
of sp•1ts or of h,wing: i>c .. ·n ;;potted.
112. LAitv i\' OH A C' \'A~EA .
. lf£,t((C'illo cyn11en , l:'all. lte i,;. Huss. J{eiehs. iii. p. (iJ 7 ( 177fi) .•
Klllng Wang Hip , P. Sia!U , :3. 10.1:) .
~ Krahi n, C. S itt m, 5.1 J. I 5.
c;1 Mnpri t , P. Siant , 30. 12. I 5.
ci ':t Klong Bang L:ti , P. Si ~t tn. l li - I X.l.lU.
\ "IlL. Ill , \ 0 . I , 1!11!1.
410 MR. E. C. STUART BAKER ON
113. CJTT<JO LNCLA MACROURA ~LA CROURA.
Tn?'Cl1.ts nWC1'01tnts, Gmel. S.N. i, p. 820 ( l '788).
o H up Bon, S. E. Siam, 21.7.15.
cf Muak Lek, E. Sittm, 23.8.15.
¥ T ung Song, P. S iam , 19.0.15.
~ u Klong Wang Hip, P. Sian1, 30.9 a.nd 4.10 .. 15.
:2 <l Krabin, C. Siam, 2-9. ll. 15.
I Ct1U see no diffl:lrence between these b ird~ aad typicttl Indian
specim ens either in si~e or colouration. Iudeecl, in so far as th e
matel'ial in the Bri tish Museum is concerned, I cannot. divide t he
two races rnaC J'OIWi~ and t? ·icolor. As fctr as I c.-w see t he mal es of
t he two s upposed races do not cliff'er in t.h r· leaHt from one another ,
a nd in hot.h , t he measurem ent;:; of the wing nu·y from 89 to
101 trl111.
Scl:1ter's S'luwis is named by hi m on a short ti1i led sp_ecimen
w ith t small wing of 91 mm. , which he presumes to be a fema.le,
but which had not been sexed by the coll ectol'. In the same wa.~·
Sharpc presumed hi s specimens also to be females, t hongh he lms
given no r easons for his presumption, and the specimens had never
been sexed. The mal eR of s1u~vis nm from 97 to 102 mm. , o,nd t he
spot of bbck on the outermost tai l feather is n,lmost in,·ariRbly
very Slll11l l.
ll4. GEOCICHLA Cl'l'£tlNA l NNOTA'l'A.
Geocichlc~ ·innotatc~, Blyth, J. A. S. H. xv, p. 3 iO (184G).
o Maprit, 9.1.16. (big whi te spot.)
2 o 2 ~ Klong Bang Lai, P. Sin.m, 16-20. UG. (Two spotterl
n,ncl two unspotted.
The above ser ies might rLally be ca-lled either cit?·i·na or
innotcdct, as t hey are ho, l f t he one and half the other. 0 1·er prac
tically the whole of I10rtltem and central Siam G. c. cih·i ,,w is t ht'
only form fo und , b11t in Pcninsnhtt· Siant o,ncl Burma birds wi t h , nnd
birdR without , the spot M.J fonnd in about equal nnmberR until t lH!
l'Xkeme sonth of S iam is reo,checl , wh en ouly t he latter form is met
with. On the other hand in e<tstern l'hu•nt flo the re a t·e we ll spoth,rJ
spceimcnR to he met. with 11 . · b r north as Karenni.
J<H'!::"\ :'\ .IT. III,.;T . ,.;u( ' . . 'il.l.\ 1.
A COLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS FROM SIAM.
115. lVIONTICOLA SOLITARIA PRILIPPENSTS.
T?wd~ts philippensis, Muller, Nat. Sys. Anhung, p. 142 (1776).
o Maprit, P. Siam, 31.12.15.
41 t
'l'his bird answers exactly to Hartert's description (Vog. Pal.
p. 675), but the variation found in 1.1. sol-ita1·ia over the greater part
of the centre of its range is enormous, and probably there are r eally
only two recognisable sub-species of this thrush.
1] 6. PLOOEUS PHILlPPTNUS TNFOR1' UNATUS.
Plnceus pa.sse?·intts in.fm·tnnatus, Hat•t .. NOI'. Zool. ix:, p. 579 (1902).
2 c;> S:tmkok, 0. Siam, 19.6.15.
2 d Meklong, 0 . Siam, 26.6.15. Mr. Herbert's speci;rtens a,gree well with J:Lntert's Llia.gnoRi$
of his in-~'O?'t'l.mnt'l.&s, ha,vino· wino·s between G6 and 70 mm. Rnt a Jl 0 0
seri es of. bit·ds collecterl by Mr. Williamson at Bangkok are al l ve ry
big, running from 70 to 74 mm.
117. .1\'[ U ~lA ATH.lCA.PlLLA .ATBl O!I. l'lLLA .
J,o~ ·i(t, nt,·ica.pilla, \Tieill. Ois. Chant. p. 84-, pi. £i3 ( 1805).
Meklong, 0. Siam, 27.6.15.
lu appearance this particular i ncli v id nn,l is pc~·],n. ps neanw
?'nb1·oniy1'a tha.n nt?·ic(&pi.Uc&, but t.ts the great mn:jorit:y uf birds from this portion of Siam are mnch cloRer to the latt0r form I lca.n it
provisionall,v 11 nder that name.
1 LH. lJROLOXC HA AOU1'lUAllDA ACl l'l' lCA l l llA.
Jfttm:c~ cwuticr.mJa,, Hoclgs. As. R ev. xix, I'· FJ:·: ( 18:-lG).
cS Pak J ong, E. Siam, :20.8.15.
M.uak. Lek, E. S iam, 25X1:). Both these specimenH are typica,l 11cnl iel( ·ndrr, qnitu inAop
n.mble from north ern Indian birch ln working through the long ::;eries of this Jlh&nin in the
Museum collection, I W:J.S struck with the fact that both FormoRan
and Hainan birds, which have hith erto been placed under the name
U. a. squwnicollis, are really far closer to U. a. cw1&t ·ica'l.&dc~ than
t hey are to that bird, and if they are not deemcrl worthy of a
sepa.rate mtme to themselYeR should be:w the Indian name.
\ 'UL. I 11 , :\ 0. ·1, IUI!I .
412 MR. E. C. STUART BAKER ON
119. P.A.SSEB. j\'fONTA.NA SA TURATA.
St,jn. Pro. U. S. M us . viii, p. HI ( 1885).
~ Bangkok., 14.3.16.
120. HlRUNDO ltUSTICA GUT'l'URALIS.
Jli?'ttndo guttumlis, Scop. Del. Flor. et Fuun. Insubr. ii, p. 96 (1786).
c Samkok, C. Siam, 29.8.15.
3 r! 3 ~ Bangkok, 10.2 to 14.3.16.
121. MOTACILLA BOARUT-A MELA~OPE.
Jfotcteitlct melnnope, p,tJl. Re is. Rnss. Reichs, iii, P· (:i\l6 ( 17 76).
o Muak Lek , E. Siam, 24.8.15.
] 22. DENDROGNATHUS IND! CUk.
J£otncillct ·indica., Gmel. S. N. i, p. HG2 (17 88),
2 o Muak Lek, E. Siam, 22.8.1 5.
~ Samkok, C. Siam, 30.8.15.
~ Sammy, Bang-kok, lG.l:2.15.
123. AN'J'Hl 'S 1!AOULA'lTS.
Ant!ms macnhttus, Hodgs. in Grn..y's Zoo!. .:\[isc. p. 83 (1 844) . 2 o ~ Krabin, C. Siam, 13-14.11.15.
I have shewn elsewhere (Bull. B.O.C. xxx Yii, p. 44,1917) that
1(W('tdcdus cannot be considered tlte Eastem form of t-J·ivic~lis, as
Witherby has named tL cliRcovet·y of Harington's Anth·ns t1·ivialis h.w·ingtoni, which breedR within the same are<1 in the HimalayaR as
tha,t, within which mcW1LlLLh.Ls regnlarly nests.
124. ANTHUS I~[C HARDl l:tJCliARDJ.
A11thug ?·ic/w.,·cl i, Vieill. Nonv. Diet. d 'Hist .. Xa t., xxvi, p. 4~11 ( 1818).
cJ Kra.hi11, C. Siam , 13.11.1 5.
This is a t•tther small bird wit h a wing of only 02 mn1. , hnt
has the huge cla,w to the hind-toe o£ 'l' ichw·di , full 19 Illln . long. and
also n 'vell-de,-eloped white penultimate tail feather.
] 25. A~THUS RICHARDl RUFULUS.
Anthus ?'1~f'!.Llns, Vieill. Nonv. Diet. d'Hi:st. Nut., xx1·1, p. 494 (1818).
4 rS Bangkok, 30.6 t o 11.7.15.
o ~ Samkok, C. Si~1m, 31.8.15 aml 17.3.16. cf Krabin, C. Siam, 30.10.15.
J OURN. C\'A1'. H!ST. SOC. SIX\!.
A COLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS FROM SIAM . 413
I cannot 9-efine any distinction between the birds of- this
ser ies and others from S. India, Assam, Bengal and Upper .Burma.
This Pipit is remarkably constant in size throughout the
w hole of its range; the usual laws creating small races in the south
and large ones in the north do not seem to operate in r espect to this
species nor can I trace any deepening of colour in humid countries
with a corresponding loss of colour in dry and desert area.s.
126. 1\{IRAI<'HA CANTlLLA NS WlLLlA~fSONI.
HakeL·, Bull. .B. 0 . C. No. ccx, p. 9. (HJ I !5).
5 cl' Bangkok, 16.6 to 1 "1.7.15.
Q Sa.nscp, Bangkok, !i.7.15.
cJ Sr~mkok , C. t-;it~m, 30.R.l5.
'1'hc above 7 binls completely lJeaL' out my diagnosis of the
sub-species made by me in t he Bulletin, t he wings of the series
\'ttrying between G6 :111d 7:3. mm. 'l' here is, however , another
M i'Y'Ctfm can! illans specimen obtained by .Mr. I-Icrbert on t he 20th
.J unc at Sa m kok, which is \'ery different to the rest. It is a huge
hird with a wing of 8:2 nun. and though very similar in general
:Lppcarance tu t he others. is unusually richly coloured, and ht~S very
red wings. .For the present [ cannot place this specimen. It is
possibly only ttn aberrant specimen ol' will·i.wnsoo i., for we C•w not
have two breeding races in the sant c area, hnt s imilar specimcnf;
shou Id be e:1 rel'nll v Witt.ch ed fot· and rec;orcle<l. . '
127. l\'LtH.AFHA Af;SAi\flCA i\LA IUON .K
l:hkel', Hull. B. 0. U. No. ccxi, p. ~ -~ (191i'i).
0 Chan '.l'euk, 1~ . Siaw , 18.7.1!5.
o ¥ Km.bin, C. Siam, 4.11.15.
'rh\.) colour:1tion of the above t.hree spec intl'llS n.grees wdl
with those Llcscribed in the Bulletin , but t he wings mea-sure 73, 77
;tncl 78 mm. rcspccti,-ely, nwking the a \·eragc, for the five, 75.5 m1n.
'l'he smallest assr~nLiGCt- I have measured has a wing of 82 mm., a.nd
they run up to over 89.0 mm.
128. ALAUDA GULGULA SA.LA.
Alcmcln sc~lc~, Swinb. Ibis, p. 354 (1 870) .
Q Sansep, Bangkok, 3.7.15.
\'OL. IIl , NO. 4, 191 fl.
414 MR. E. C. STUART BAKER ON
This sma.ll Sky-Lark appears to be a very common breeding
bird in Siam, where Williamson coll ected a fine series. 'J'he present
specimen }:ltts a wing of 73 mm.
129. lETHOPYGA SEllERliE CARA.
Aethopyga cam., Hmne, S. F. ii, p. 473 (1874).
c~ Maprit, P. Siam, 31.12.15.
3 6 ~ juv. 1\Iaprit, P. Siam, 3-9.1.16.
3 cS ~ Klong Bang La.i, P. Siam, 20.1 to 1.2.16.
All the specimens in the above series are typical car"a ..
'J'he young male .is ma,rked " ~ ", but the re are already a few
red fe<tt hers shewing in the npper pln ma.ge wh ich sh ew its conect
t~ex.
130. ARACH)[ECHTHil.A lfLA:U.Iii'[AXiLLARlS FLAi\iMAX1LLAR1S.
_Vectcwiniu. jlam~m!! .. ,;illan:s, B lyth, J·.A .S.B. x i1·, p. !);) ·i ( .J 8 .t.fi) .
2 o 2 ~ Bangkok, 18.6 to 5.7.15.
2 cl' Muak Lek, P. Siam, 23-25.7.Hi.
o Kmhin, C. Siam , 4.10.15.
2 cl 2 'I Samkok, C. Sin,m, 30.k.l0.
er Q lGong Wang Hip, P. Riam , 2/ .l.lll .
~ Bangkok, 7.3.1 fi. These arc aJl quite typical jlwnm•l.Pi.Ua.rl:s, a.nd she11· no
a,pproach to the T-Ltin~n t'ctce r·hi:;;iphomP, with i ts rn ettLlli r hlne
forehea<l.
1:n. A.NTHoTHRE~>TEs 11BLAuc r.Kfi l l:;.
Oei'th. il~ m.ala.ccensis, Scop. l)p, J. Flor. et L?;tnll. lnsnbt•. i i, p. Dl (1 78li).
d' .Bangkok, 18.6.15.
d' Mek long, C. Siam, 27.6. 15.
132. A lL\CH\'OTHERA AFF I NIS MODESTA.
A nth1·eptes m.odesta, Eyton, P.Z.S . p. 1 05(18:39).
2 c.< Tung Song, L:>-17.9.15. 133. ARACHNOTHERA LO)[GlJIOST IU8 LONGIROSTHI H.
C'erthic~ longi1·ost1·is, La.th. Incl. Oro. i, p. 299 (1 790).
~Hup Bon, S. E. Siam, 23.7.15.
3d 'l'ung Song, P. Siarn, 17-27 .9.15. ~Klong W11ng H ip, P. Siam , 9.10.15 .
. JOUR?\ . NAT. !3 1ST. SOC. SlAM.
A COLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS FROM SIAM .
2 ·:3 Ma.prit, P. Siam, 31.12.15. to 6.1.16.
~ l(long Bang Lai, P. Siam, 16.1.16.
415
Before examining the above series of skins, I had received
eggs of this Spider-Hunter* fmm l\'Ir. H erbert, which differed so ex
tl'aordinarily rl'Om those lttid by it in other parbs that I fully expect
eJ t;) find it different in :>ome l'csp3cts. A most careful examination
and comparis ')n with other se ries from Bnrma, Assam and the Ma:lu.y
Peninsula do not e1nb le me to detect any dift'erence between then1.
'rhe eggs of th e Siam bird ~u·e a pecnlia.l'l y dead china white,
with n ·1 trac ::~ what'3oever of the pink t inge !Llways present to fl
gl'ea.te r or le<>ser degree in th e eggs of th e Spider-Huntm· laid in 11"11
other p>uts of its habitat. 'rhe markings consist of tiny J·ecldisl,
specks iu a \·ery well defined ring round the lttrger encl.
13-J.. CHALCOPARlA SJ~GALE:\S I S SINGALESSIS.
J[otcwalr,~ si.ngnlensis, (-<mel. f:::iys. N,tt. i, p. 90 ,1 (1788) . {!futlcopr:t-l'·ia. singalens1·s km·atensis, Klo::;s, Ibis, HI I R, p. 218.
~ ({ Bangkok, 14.6.15. and H.3.16.
3d' 2 ~ Hup Bon, S. E. Siam , 17-27.7.1:5.
6 Pak Jong, E. Siam, 21.8.1 ;).
2d' 2~ Klong Wang Hip, P. Siam, 2H.9 to 4.10.15.
ci 2~ l\1aprit, P. Siam, 2-6.1.16.
o Klong Bang Lai, P. Siam, 19.1.16.
After an examination of ·a huge series of this species I am
quite unable to recognise Kloss' new sub-species "lcm·atensis ". I
h!Lve had a series of 25 Si11mese birds for comparison with over 100
specimens from more northern countries, and I can detect no differ
ences which are of nub-specific valne, nnn not due to individual
variation.
Kloss is perfectly cor rect in his description of the )roung
male bird, and in pointing out that it differs from the auult female
in having no rufous on the th roat a,ncl fore nec k.
135. Dte.EUM C'RUE:\TA'l'Dl.
Certh:ic~ cn~entat((. , Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 187 (1766).
d Meklong, C. Siam. :26.6.15. --- - - ---
*' Tbe fe mo~l e 11' :\~til,ot f10m t lu\ nest.:\1· Kl ong Wn.ng Hip. [K 0 H .J
\ "UL. llf, ~ Cl. ·1, 1!11!1 .
416 MR . E. c. STUART BAKER ON
::L< .Mua k Lck , E. -Sia m, 23-25.8.1 5.
4 c' 2 Q K long Wa ng Hip, P. S ia m , 30. 9 to 8.10.1G.
cl' Krabin, C. S ia m, 6.11.'15.
cf Bang-kok, '17.12.1 5.
2 o' Q 1\J.apri t , 29.12.15 and 3.1.1 6.
1 find it impossibl e t o di vide this ~peci es into g eographical
races, t hough at first I was cli sposerl to separate t h e Chinese bird ,;_
on account of tlt e compa.mt ive gr eyn ess of t he ch eek s t"Lnd the sides
of th e neck, a feature which seem s to be ver y fairly con s istent.
The S iamese birds a lso, a t ii.rst sight, seem to be a purer whi te
b elow than those feom Bmma and Bengal , but this is probn.bly du e
to the g reat care wi t h which a ll Robi 1tson 's and Kloss' collectors
(On e was employed by Mr. H erbert) m a k e up th eir skins. F or the
pn:sent I leave a ll t hese Crim son-b11ck ecl F lower-Peck er R under t h e
on e na.tn e.
136. lJ lC:IW M CH R YSOHI{ I-HEU"I.
1Jica.e1l?n clwysol'l'looeu.m, '.l' e mm, Pl. Col pl. 4 78, ri g. i. (l 8:Hl).
4 o Q Mua k Le k , K S ia m , 2:3-26 .8.1 5.
2o Krabin, C. S i t"Lln , 6-7.11.15.
B irclR from Sikkim t o th e lVrala.y P eninsula do n ot seem to
va.t·y :'Lt :tll , e it her in colonra tion or size, bu t ther e a re t wo sp ecim ens
in t he British Mus,' nm fro111 Mt. Duli t a ud Kina Ba-lu in l~omeo ,
which probably clese L'\ 'C\ to he separated on a.ccount o[ th e ir mn cli
cltwkel' plunh"Lge , <"L ncl t he nnn s nn. ll ,v hea \-y ctw k st ri pes on t he lowe r
pJ U 111 [1.g"C.
1:17. PJPH ISOMA SQALlDU ;\1 ~I O ili•:S]T~I.
f' ,·irmnclil:l-ns -modest11 .S, Hum P, S tr . F ea.t h. iii , p. ~H8 (lK7i5).
2 cl' 2 Q P·ak .ln ng, E . Aia n1 , I 9-;n .8.15.
+ d Q Kmh in , C. S ia m, 30.10 to 7.11.1 5.
'l.'hi;; !'orn1 ot Pip? ·i su? , ~Cl ranges t,n t he nor t h as far a.s
Uach11r and t he Ass;llll lii.ll s son t h oE th e· Bra lunapoot ra.. In t hP
hill s nort h of t his ri\·er typ ical sqrrlid um, a.lon e is [oulld .
l:l t-;. l'ltiO~OC lliLUS l U);I C,\PILL US,
IJ-im ewn iyn im pi/In, E yton, 1'-Z.S. p. J 0:) ( J 1-\39).
d' _ill\·. Tnng :-.long , l'. Siam. 1 Ul.l 5.
JOU it~. 1'\ AT. 1-1 I ST. SOC. S I ,\7\f.
"A COLLECTION OF BI RD-SKINS FROM SIAM .
] 3fJ. PR!O)l"OOIIILllS ) LA OULATUS.
l'n1'Cla.lotu.s nwculcbtus, Temm. PI. Col. iii, pi. 600, f. 3 (1836) .
c? et d jmT. Klong Wang Hip, P. S iam, 8-9.10.15.
417
~l'he adult male l1as a very white throat, and is somewhat
Jess yellow on the under part;; than usual , whilst t he upper parts
appear to he cxccpt ionn,lly dark.
140. PtTTA C1E B ULf•:.>\ C. ERr ' LEA .
. lf_IJiotJ,e ,·rt. C((f!1'1tlen, H:tfl'l. T l'an,;. :Linn. 8oc. x iii , p. ::10 1 (18~2).
3 d Maprit, P. Siitm , 5-01 .1 G.
T hese three binls from Siam ;.tgrcc well 11·ith those f1·om th e type
·loct11ity, S umatra. They are a.ll males , RO t hat at pn•sen t one eannot
sny whether t he fCJn11les n.re dift'erent.
The fmnul e of the .P$om can birrl is qnitr rli ff'e rcnt to t hat oJ'
t h e Snmn.tran aml to those obt1tinecl in t he i\Iala_l' Pcniusuh Thr~
eolom· of the i1 eacl is ;.1 mueh richer , brighter brown , and the hlitc:k
consists of tiny black edges instca.cl of black bars to the feathers.
This form I ha ve recently (B ull. B. 0 . C. 191R, No. ccxxx Yii
p. 20) named Pitto ,.,l'l'Ulea hosei after Dl'. Charles H ose, bY wh on1
th specim ens were coll ected.
141. PrrTA <'Y ANEA.
l'itt cb CVM1Pa-, Hlyth, J. A. k. B. xii, p. 1008 ( IR4R ).
::i' Klong Song, near Petrin, C. Siam, 25.2.16.
I ca.nnot see a ny cliffcrt!n rc in this species t hroughout its
rang·e f'rom Assitlll t.o M,tlay;1-.
1-l-:2. PIT'[\ \ CYA~UPTEHA .
/ 'iitu cynnopfp,·o , T eu1m. PI. Col. pl. 21R (1 82:1).
:2 r\ <;1 H up Bl)n, S. E. Si<1-nl , 2 2.1 . J :3.
' l'lws(' ;qJf'<"inH·lls call fo r no rmmwk.
142 . PIT'!',\ O(JCLJ LLA'l' \ .
/ 'it/11 cuculloto. lLtrtl. Rev. Zool. [84-:\ p. (\3.
2 ci 9 Hnp Bon, S. K Sin.m, 18-27 .7.L3.
L.J,.+ . PI'l'TA <: U llXEY I.
l 'itto rtu,·ne!Ji. J I Ullle, Stl' . Feat.h. iii. p 296, pl. iii , (18 70) .
• \ <;1 K lnng· \\"ang Tlip, P. Sialll , 1-0_.10.1:'5.
1·111. Ill. 'it>. I , 1!11!1.
418 MR. E. C. STUART BAKER ON
3 cS ~ Maprit, P. Siam, 5.1.1 6.
0 Q Klong Ba.ng Lai , P. Siam, 17-21 .1 .1.6.
145. PITTA HOSCfii.
P.ittc£ boschi, Mnller n.nrl Schl. Vert. Zoo!. Pitta, p. 5.
2 o 4 Q, o juv. Q juv. Tung Song, P. Siam, 12-19.9.15.
juv. o, Klong Wa.ng Hip, P. Siam, 5.10.15. The plnmagos of: th e youag birds wh ich are in various stageR
are very interesting. In the earliest stage represented the plumage
is dull brown everywhere except on the t.hroat, which is \\·hite.
The feJ.thers of the head, n ':lck , upper back, breast a ni flanks have pale fulvous central stripes. 'rhe ch .rker che3ks and ettr-coverts are
a ll'e.dy distin5uishable, and t.he qui ll s :1r0 brown wi thout an.v
indica.t ion of the \\·hite baml.
In a somewhat older bit·d the breast fec1the rs are f.u l vons
with fine black margins only, the crown a r1d forehead arc nearly
black with broad pale strire: the nape is a golden ful vous oe buff:
the uppet· back brown with pale centres to the feathers, and t he
lower hack and wing-coverts brow n with each feather edged darker.
The quills are the same as in the adult bird. From this stage the bird app:1rently moults into t he full
male and female adult plumage.
146. EuRYLAnws JAVA~wus.
Ew·ylcdmu.s javanicus, Hors£. 'rl'•tnS . L inn . Soc. xi ii , p. 170 (1821 ).
2 Hup Bon, S. E. Siam, 16.7.15.
2 <f Chan 'reuk, E. Siam, 10.8.1 5. 'l'h.e female feom Hnp Bon i~ in juvenile plumage. The
two males b:>th. have the ab::lo!nen an::l v.:mt a very chestnut reel
rather than vinaeeous r ed as it is on the beeast. 'rhis nny ha due
to t he fact that thcso t'vl) specimens have not yet acquired their
full colouration.
147. E u RYL .mrus OCHHO\IELA.S.
li:MylninH£8 ocArom1la,s, .R,Lft'. 'l'mns. L inn . Soc. xi ii , p. 297 (1822) .
0 ~ cS sem i-a::l ult. Tnng Song, P. S iam, 10.9.15.
The y0nng m:tle is in plnnHge simila r to that of the adu lt
JOU rtN. NAT. lll ST. SOC. S l ,\11.
A COLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS FROM SIAM . 419
male, but already shews signs of acquiring the black pectoral band.
148. COH.YDO\" SUMATHAXUS.
Comcias smna.tm.nus, R a ft'. Tl'al•s. Linn. Soc. x iii , p. 303 (1822).
cJ ~ Hup Bon, S. E. Siam , 25.7 .15.
149. 0YMBORHYNCH UI:l M AC RORHY NCH US l\IALACCENSIS.
Cyrnborhynclms ?1utlaccen8is, Salv~td. Att . l:t. Ac. Sr. ix, p. 425 (1874).
c3 Chan Teuk, E. Siam , 13.8.15.
3 o- ~ Klong Wang Hip, I>. Siam , 5-H. I 0.15.
2 o K.long Bang Lai , P. Siam , 26.1.16.
Whilst comparing thi s series ·with others from the Peninsula
and from l3orneo and Sumatra, I also comparcrl birds from the two
latter islands with one another , n,nrl in th e result am unabl e to
distinguish between them. As a rule the Snmatran birds have a
little more white on the tail fea thers, but t his distinction does not
always hold good. In size th e two birdfl <1 re the same, Sumatran
birds having the wings between 05 <tnd 102 mm. , and Bornean be
t ween 95 and 101 mm.
150. SEH.lLOl'HUf::i L UN ATU S L UNATUS.
Serilophw; ltb?U6l us, Swn.in~on, Ola,;s B, ii , I'· 263.
~ Hup Bon, S. E. Sia111 , 27 .7.1 5.
o 2 ~ Tung Song, P: Siam , Hi-20.8.1 5.
2 ,_; Klong Bang La i, P. Siam, 19-2!1.1.1 6.
In this series the varia tion in th e pretty white tipping to
the feathers on the side of the n eck of th e femn,le varies very
greatly in extent: in one i t is more strongly developed than in the
majority of S. l.. ?··u iJ?·opygi·ns, iu a second it is much the same as in
normal birds of tha t race, but in the third it is obsolete.
151. C A LYPTLnlESA YIRIDIS.
Cc~lyptornenc~ ·m:1··idis, n,,,fr. Tt·an~ . Linn. Soc. x iii , J.l· 29 5. (18n)
6 o Tung Song, P Sia u1 , 21-22.10.15.
252. PtCUS CANUS H ESKEL
Gecinus occip·itc~lis hessei, Gyldenstolpe, <lm. Mona.t :sb. xx iv, p. ~8 (1916) .
c! Krabin, C. Siam , 12 11.15.
VOL. Ill, NO. 4, J!il!•.
420 MR. E. C. STUART BAKER ON
In the Ibis 1919, p. 184 I lut,·e shewn that I a,gree with
Gyldenstolpe in differentiat-ing between the Siamese birds and those from northern India, wheth er these latter are the large green birds from extreme north-western Himalayas or the smaller bronzed birds from Sikkim and Assam. I cannot, however, distinguish in
any way between the birds from Siam and those of practically the whole of Burma. Accordingly, as there is no name which is a,pplicable to the Burmese form , thi s, together with birds from Siam, must
hear his name hessei.
153. Pwus V tTL'ATU=' vrTTATUS.
Picu,s v·ittatus, V ieill. Nonv. Diet. cl'Hist. N<t t . xxvi, p. 91 (1 818) . Recinus vittatus eisenlwjiy-i, Uy lrl en~tolpe, Orn . Monatsb. xxiv, p. 28
(1916).
c 2 Q Bangkok,
o Hup ·Bon, S. E. Si,•m , ~ Pak Jong, E. Siam,
- I am rather doubtful as to whether Gyldenstolpe's eisenhoje1·i can be maintained. Kloss (Ibis, 1918 p. 104) gives some interesting measurements shewing how this species de::reases in size the further it extends to the south, but says that he can find no differences in colour between the northem and southern spe::!imens. 'Vith this latter opinion I fully agree, and mor eover, after an examination of the excellent materic"Ll in the British }Iuseum , it does not appear
that the diminution in size southwads is nearly so pronounced in this particular species as Kloss' figures would make out.
'rhe following are the meas urem::mts of 34 birds, excluding Mr. Herbert's :-
Java 12 birds, wing, 123-J 37 mm. <werage, 130 mm. Malay States 9 123-132 mm. 127.6 mm.
Cochiu China 5 Ul:}-136 mm. J 32 mm. Siam 8 12~-143 mm. l37.2 mm.
Mr. Herbert's birds measme ;-Pak Jong, E. Siam , wing, 149 mm.j Bangkok, C. , , 136 mm. I
, , , I 37 mm. ~ average, 14 L mm. , , .L-tO mm. I
Hup Bon, S. E. 1-t-t mm. J .J QCHN. ~AT. HI. "!'. SOC. SIAM.
A CQLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS FROM SIAM. 421
Perhaps even more mfttcrial is uecess9>ry beEoee we can de
cide the status of cisp, nho f eri, and if <tcceptecl, how far south its
a rea should be held to extend.*
For the present I retain a ll the Siamese birds under the
name vittatus.
154. PiOUS VlTTA.'l' OS VIRlDA.:\TUS.
Picus ·vi?·idanus, Blyth, J.A.S B. x ii, p . 1000 (1 843).
2 ¥ Maprit, C. Siam , 30.12.15. and 10.1.1 6,
These are apparently the first specimens of true v·i1·icla.nus receivad from Siam in the Bri tish Museum, for I find that all those
which have been labelled vi1·idanus are nothing but vittat~~s.
Herbert's birds are very fine specimens, the barring on the
under-parts coming right up to the upper breast in stronger, better
definei bars than in any oE the Burmese skins in that collection.
'l'he wings of the two birds measure respectively 135 and 139 mm.
As an examination of the m~tterial in the British Museum
and elsewhere does not enable me to maintain Gyldenstolpe's sub
species eisinlwferi, there 11pp3ar to me to be only two sub-species,
viz., G. v. vi1·idant&s, which is found throughout Eurm11, Chin Hills,
Kachin Hills, south Shan States, north and central Siam, and
pos,;i bly extreme west of P c:ninHular Siam and Burma.
G. v. ·vitatus, which is found horn .hva, Malay States, east
and we.st P eninsular Siam anJ Burma, in South-Ktstern Siam and
as fM· north as P11k Jong i 11 e11steru :::>iam, and thence again, if
Gyldenstolpe is correct, in assigning his birds to the vittc~t~~s. rather
than the vi.riclan~&s group, well up into north central Siam and
Cochin China.
In a letter to me Mr. Herbert r JIDitrks on the fact not, I
think, hitherto recorded, of the great part ta.ken in incubation by
the male birds of most species of Wood-pecker.
"' The following are th e wing me,tsurel neuts of 14 birds in Mr. W iJli ,~msou ' :; collectiou :-
4 birds from E. 8i,1m, wing aventge 3 " , u. " " " 3 , , ~. E . , , ,, 4 , , S. W, , , ,
Average wing me;tsurement of 14 birds=
VOL. Ill, NO. 4, 1919.
142 mm. ] 34 mm. 141 mm . 135 mm. 138 mm. [Eels.]
422 MR. E. C. STUART BAKER ON
" As regards vittatus and its eggt>, the male was taken " on the nest with the clutch. Ther·e were also some clutches
" of eggs taken of the little Pied Wood-pecker, and in several " instances the male bird was caught. on the eggs or shot as he
"left the nest-hole. I think I have alRo known two similar "instances with T·iga javanensis."
I may r emark that I have observed the same lmbit with
both the genera Ohr"JSOcolaptes and Oh1·ysophlegma. Of these the
male und(•ubteclly does th e major share of the incubation, at all
events, by day. Ey night I think with many Wood-peckers, both
parents sleep within the nest-hole, but it is of course difficult to
make really accurate observations after dark.
As regards Micropte?·nus, male and female are too much
alike to make it possible t o discern which lea.ves the nest-hole
unless the bird is actually shot , and as they nearly a ll lay their eggs in tree-ants' nests, it is never possible to catch th em on the
nest itself.
155. BLYTRlPICUS PORPRYROMELAS.
Ven·ii'in JJ01'phy1·omelas, Boie. Briefe. Geschr-. au ;; Ostencl. p 143 (1832).
~ Klong Bang Lai, P. Siam, 29.1.16. The generic uame Venil·ia is preoccupied in both Lepidop
tera and Mollusca, and the next oldest name appea1·s to be
Blythipicus of Bonaparte (185 0), and however ridi.cnlous some
ornithologists may consider such hybrid names to be, this is no
r eason for discarding them. This specimen is quite ty picaJ , and calls for no r emark.
156. MIGLYPTES TI.U S'!' t:H GRAM.MlTHORAX.
Phaiopicus grwrnmitlwmx. 1\Lt! il. Picidae, ii, p. 12, pl. xlviii, fig . 6 (1862) .
~ 'fung Song, P. Siam, 26.9.15.
~ Klong Wang Hip, P. Siam, 29.9.15.
o Klong Bang Lai, P. Siam, 26.1.16. Two of the above three specimens <.Ln.! noticeable for the
absence of all tinge of rufous in the pale markings of the
JOURN, }; AT. U I 8'1'. SOC. SIAM,
A COLLEC TION OF BIRD·SKINS FROM SIAM . 4 '2 3
plumage ; t he lor es, for ehead and chin are almost yellow ·when
compared with the rufo us of most specimens. The third specimen
is norf!1n.l in t his reRpecb.
157. .MIGLYPTES .J UGULAH El S.
Pim<s Jugt~lw·is, Blyth, J.A .S .B. x iv .. p. 195 ( 184-3) .
2 o Hup Bon , S. E. Siam, 21-25 .7.15. o <;! Pak J ong, E . Sittm, 29-30.11.1 5. One of the males which is acquil'ing tlte hla.c.k plumage
abo\·e lLts Lh e breast suffuserl with sage-geeelt aR in t he nestling·
s ta.ge.
158. C.run·~oPHLEG~JA ~-J,\.YtNucnA PIEJtnE I.
Ohi',ljso phlegm.n piene1:, Oustalet , L e N :ltumli titl', 188\) , pp. 4--b, .J-'i .
<;! Chan Teuk, E. Simn , 11 .8.1 5.
cl' Pak Jong, E . Si.tm , 1.12.15. rrhese two birds ar e both good exa,mplos of th e m re C . .f.
p~m'l'e l. . 'fhe male has a wiog of 152 mm., and the female 148 mm.,
vvhi.lst the type of pi.e?·J·i., which is a female, has a wing of 156 nun .
They also have the decidedly pale upper and lower plnmfl,g~ of
pi(wrei cJntra.sting well with typical w m yi in this r esp uct.
Kloss' 0. f. lylei (Ibis 1918, p. 110.) is assuredly not.hing hn t
p ie·r·rei, the sma ll differ ances mentioned hy him as shewn in hi.'i
sp0cim an n J t b Jing discernible in either of Mr. H crbert 's birds.
The two birds descr ibed by Gyldenstolp 3 Ulldcr the l1 <1mc of
.flcwin ncha are probably, judging by the win.g measm aments ,
( ci 156, <;! 159 mm.), this race also, as tme .flavin ucha would seem to
h:1ve wings me:1sming from 162 to 180 mm.
159. C n RY:::iOPHL EG\rA n u~m.
r:'!io~ '!JSOp. 1~l ~gmx h.wnii, Hargitt, Ibis 188H, p. 23 1.
c~ <;! 'fung Song , P. S iam.
The two specim ens in Mr. H erber t's collection arc quite
t y pi.cttl h~Lmii.
16 0. CALL'"> L')Pu u::; m::-nn.Tu:-; MAL ACC EN::; rs.
P1:cn~ nv tlctccensis, L :t th. I nu . Om . i , p. 24 1, (17 HO) . C'nlloloph,.ts m inecttUSJm·lnttts , K. loss, Ibis, 19 18 p. 110.
,f Klong Bttng L:1i, P. Si<1m, 23.1.1 6.
\'OL . lll , S O . 1, l !Jl!l.
424 MR. E. C. STUART BAKER ON
rl'his bird a.groes pel"fcctly with typica.l m~dacr:fn.'!i8 , which
YU.r ies gl'cn.tly in size in the sa,mo locality.
Kloss' C. m. zJerlc~h~.~ appectrs to me to be nothi ng mor e
tht'tU ?nr~lu.rcensis. 1t is rl esceibe·l , as is 0. f. lylei , fl'om a -sing le
xpcc im en.
1() l. Dr~::-.rnrw oo J •us I'J<;CTO RA us PE<..:l'uRA T.rs.
]'icns pectoraUs, Blyth J . A. , '. R X\' , p . l :) (l84Ji).
:2 .\ 5t. .Rmgkok, 5. 7. anrl 17.12.15.
These sper:im ) 11S are qnitr uormcd, ;1m1 C<11l f,n· n•) l'Cm:trk.
] G2. CHRYSOCJLWTES UUTTAC HIST.\ TUS DELESSEl'tT I.
fn•lopicns dele8se ,·t·i, Mal h . N. Class . Mem. Acarl. :Jietz (184/l) p. ::J.t~ .
r:i l\:rabi n. C. S iam, 2.11.15. er Maprit, P. Siam, 2. 1.1 G.
cl' Klong Bang Lai , P . Siam 30.l.lG.
Elsewher·o , (Ib is 1 f)l9 p. 197), I l1we shewn that I can
J1L)t d i ,-irlr the birds of Southern India from those of Pen insular
Burma and S iu.m, S') they all must bear Malh erbe's name oE rlele.~sm·ti.
The other subspecies which seem to me b be go:)d arc C. y. g~Lf/1(
m·i.stcd~&s from Beng·al, North and So uth Assu.m and Bnnna, and
C!. g. sn!.tcmcus fro:n ~orth-West [nditt and ~epr.tl. It i,· one of the
nHny C<1'> CJS oE pa.ml lel cvolut i m of sub-spac ies o f northern birds t'ts
they descend south in India <'tllll Bmnu, r :ur ierl out in this insbnee
to an unusuall? simihtr result.
1G3. JYilCTIOPTElmUs BHACli'\'UHL'S IYILLI.>\.:\IS0:\ 1.
l\l1)~~. Tbis 1918 p. 107.
~ l\Ieklong, C. Si<llll, 2, .G .l 5.
6 Sa.m kok, C. Sia111, 31. 1:\. l iS .
r 1'3t1ngkok, G.8.1G.
'I'IH· S;1111 kol· bird 11111.)' ue wrungly KCxed, t1K it shC\\'S no
trac·e of the red lliOusbtelw, a lt hough it appea rs to be full,v adu lt.
Tlw wings of t he thn''' hirrls mcasn re l' !:'\H]JCrtin~ l y ~ 1:2:1 111 11 1., i ci'
LW ttn cl 1 2 2 111 m .
Kloss h as recently dc:-wribecl this 1ww sub-xpecies [rom ''
s ing·lc specill1cn colkctrd at Koh Lnk. S . \V. ,-:;i,tm . UnforLnnate l.v
.JI)l'll:\. :\A'I'. HIS'l'. Sill' . S\.1\1.
A COLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS FROM SIAM . 425
the differences which he quotes as distinguishing it from its nearest
allies are all more or less individual rather than sub-specific in
chamcter except, perhaps, the "narrower dark bars on t he wings
and back" (? lower hack). :Mr. H erbcrt's three specimens and two others from Siam in
the Briti sh Museum collection all a.grco with one another in one
featnre-rarely found in birds from elsewhere- the non-existence of
any baning on th e scapulars and upper back. 'l'hey average also
mther lig-ht in the tint of t heir plumage generally. In tvvo of Mr.
H erbert's birds there is no bn.tTing on the under plumage also,
w·hilst in the third the bars arc confined to the flanks only. 0£ the
two Museum r;pocimens one is immacuhtc below, the other more
than usually profusely barred.
· All five birds have the centres of the Lhroat feathers con
colorous with th e breast; n.ll have r ed shafts to t.he wing quills, but
in two the bn.so._· of the slmfts are mark ed with blackish.
If it is eYentua11y found that t he Siamese .M ic1·opten ;,i all
have immaculate backs the name will have to b0 confined to this race;
otherwi se, the name will still holrl good £or birds from Siam and
Burma. There is at present no n:1111e for the race north of Bangkok,
(vide, Baker, Ibis 1919 p. 202) should t.hi. · be separated.
164. MrcROPTEHxus BRACH \'URUS BR4CHY URGS.
Picus bmchytwus, Vieill. Nonv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxvi, p. 103 (1818).
Q !Gong Wang Hip, P. Siam, 4.10.15.
2 o Krabin, C. Siam, 2-14.11.15.
All three of these birds are vcr·y typical b?'Cwhy~wns with
dark th roat"s, very black shtdts t.o the wing quills, n.nd densely bar
red lo"'cr plumage. They are, howeYer, larger than most south l\blayan birds, t he wings being 117, 127 and 123 mm. respecti\·~ly.
1.65. TTGA JAYA"ENS IS INTEmrEDIA.
P·icns intermed·i·ns, Blyth .J. A. S. B. xiv, p. 193 (184ii).
2 o ~ Samkok, C. Siam, 21-22. 6. 15.
~ Hup Bon, S. E. Siam, 21. 7. 15. Q Pak Jong, E. Siam, pl. R. 15.
\'0 ], Ill , :\0. 1, 1!11!1.
42 6 MR. E. C. ST UART BAKER ON
2 cS ~ Krabin , C. S ia.m 3-7 . .lJ. ] 5.
I ha ,-e a.lrea.dy dealt wit.h thi ~ species anrl i ts geogra.phical
ntces at some leng th in t he Ibis l fl ] D, p. 20.5, <tncl it is ther efore un
necessary foi· me to go in to J'n r thcr cl eta. il hl.m:. All the specimens
collected by .l\h. H erbel't agree \Yell wi t h Dlyth's i?Jtm·merlit&s, whi ch
only ditfers in hei ng sma. ll cr. T h L• average wing m ea.sm ement for
159 specimens o f: in.te1·mediu is 144.4 mm. , whi lst Mr. H erbert's
birds have wio,e;.· rang ing from 185 to 149 mm., n,nrl a verc1.ging
143 mm ., t he t wo smc1 ll est lJirds (·oming f rom Samkok .
Th e a. \-eJ·a.ge wing Jm•asm·cmPnt f:01· 1'. j . j rrnmensis is und er
J 30 mm.
' ()G . n.,u Jw Prco mr::s n.uf'I·'Lr.:s t l' r::\' rx . (' LA His.
U esse, Orn . l\[ona.tsb. xix, p. Hl2 (J!J il ).
r~' Tnng So ng. P. S ia 111 , 2::5 . . , 0. 15.
This specim en cloJs not agree ,,·ith t he uthcr c1oubt£nl
form de.-c ribed by H ossJ under th is na!lle. It is sa, id. to differ from
typical. G. ?"r~tfle8i from S unH1tra, in haYing red upo n the nppm· tail
co\·e l'ts ~wd a.lso in being mnclt b ig·gcr.
In size the two for ms cb d i ft'er t o some extent, nine Suma. t
ran bird s ha ,ring a wing a \·oraging 138 mm. , whilst t.hirty-nino
Penin sub r birds ha ,-o th e s<1mc 1:'3-l, mm. Mr. 1-I erber t' s sp ecim en
h ::ts t~ wing of 150 111 '11. , bnt no re(l npon t h npper tail-co,·erts.
This la. t to l' cham cteristic see ms to he a ,-cry un(}e rtain one.
0£ th series in th e B ri tish :Museum , some t en aclult bi )'(lH ha,-e no
t inge of r eel, whilst t he other t en l li~\'U i t to'" g reater or less extent.
On the other ha nd , one so-called Sumatnm skin has thi s r ed ti.ngc
quite apparen t.
J\I01·e sk ins from S nllhtt ra ar c bacl ly wantecl, .for o f thofl c
in the Museum t he n1aj or i. ty h twc only go t clca.len>' datt~ t ickets,
and only on e h <LS :1 n m·ig inal co iJ cctor'R ti ck et. rl' WO Specimens,
m oreo ver, look suspiciously like :Ualnccan dealers' flkins, and one
cannot lay down any sound d iagno.- is on ma.terial o£ t h i.s nature.
167. H Ei\liLOP DUS PUL\'.8HVLEN1'ULUk H ARTEW\'1.
Jllulm·ipicus pulrer·ttlentulus hrti'te1·ti, H esse, Omi. 1\Ionn.tsb. p. l R2 (HHl) .
JOUHN. N A'I'. lfTS1'. SOC. SlA!Ir,
A COLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS FROM SIAM .
.1-:l.up Eon, S. E. t:lia iJJ . 27.7. 15. ~ Klong Wa,ng Hip, P. S it~>m , 5.10.1:5.
~ Hinlap, ]~Siam, 8.12.15.
9. Klong Bang Lai , P. Si<.tlll, .I 0.l.l.(i.
427
H esse'i:i sub-species is <.L t]n ite goJtl oue, and bir.li:i hum As
sa.m and TinrnHL arc ea~>ily distinguii:ilnble by th eir mllch li ghte1·
coluur than birth from J·aYct, SuJutttn•, Borneo and 1\thtwan, etc .
From the extreme south of the l\Iulay Peninsula birds ;.we somewhat
intcnncdiab, oHc from Singa.pore <ond another from J ol1ore being
tohnost as black <oS tony Jam bird. 1\Iost spcci11wns from the south
of the Peuimmla arc nearer the uorthern fonns, a.ud should, there
fore, b~ kept with them. As USll<ol, the souLhcrn birds twe rfl>gc <1
tri ae smaller than tlu nort.ltcrn , hut are not snH1cient ly so to
constitute a third snb-sp0cics.
Birds from Asi:it1ll1 , aver·agu wing 2:38 Jllll l., aad bill 49.5 mm.;
Jan•n birds mc.1snrc only wing :2:2:1 mm., bill-18.0 unn . These form
the two cxtre iJL OS in i:iiz ~.:, lJUt c\·on in thc.'w twJ arc;.ts the/ haYe nut
mu :::h signitic.tJUJ, H "> WJ h ·wJ o,1 .; sp.lcilllcn in tlw Briti~:;lt i\Iuseum
collection front northern BnrnHo with '" wing of only 218 mm. ,
whilst m10tltor From Bon10o htLf-l :.t w ing uf: nu less tlmll 2-11 1. muJ .
I U8. :-:L-\.SL\. AU:\()1{;\liS ,\BXOlUllS.
Ficnmnns cbbt~~rmi.s, 'l.'en11u. PI. Uul. i·.-, pi. J7l, fig. 3 (I !:i23).
2 c( Tung ~ong, P. ~ia.m, ll-28.8.15.
2 ,s Klong \\'ang Hip, P. Sia1n, 8-10.10.1 5.
~ 1'1faprit, P. 8 i<om, 10.l.Hi.
All this series bJlong to this fornt of Piculd . Judging from
their distribution, t he btc-ds with white c.\·e-brow.->, Sa.sic~ och1·aa<~
(an:l sub-sp c::::ie:;) aml thos~ withnut any white ronnel the eye, Sa.si!~
t~bn~l'lnis, fo rm two goo l specie-.;. Both birds inhabit the same
pxtion> of the uor them fibby Pcninsnl<o and Si11m, <t llcl canuot
therefore be sub-species of uue o;pccies.
lGf.J. 'rliERElC J~ lWX L I _:,"~ATUS J"'TL::l:JlJWIL"S.
Stu:Lrt Baker, Bull. B . 0. <J. 19 1 H, p. l \l .
Ch;.tn 'ruuk. K Si,lm , 8.8. -1.5.
c3' 1\tk J ong, E. Si:l.lll , I li.8 ."1 G.
\"CJL. Jl l, S(J. I, l :JIU .
478 MR. E C. STUART BAKER ON
cJ Krabin, C. Siam, 2.11.15.
'rhe birdf:l of central and south Burma and of south Sia.m
seem to be intermediate in size between those of Java.-1'. Z.. linecdus -and those of northern India-1'. l. hoclgsoni---ancl as t hey cover a
far longer range thu,u either of these two extreme races, they should
bear a name as 11 geographical race.
'l'he typical birds from Ja.va and Bali are v · ry sma.U, thirteen
bi rls luwing an aver11ge " ·ing measm ement of about ll 7 mm. These ;tre found only in t li e two l f:lhtnds named.
Birds from th e northern a.rea arc ,·ery large, averaging
nearly 131 mm. in wlng .length. These are found oyer the whole of
N orthem Inui<l>, Chin and Kachin Hills, Shtl.n States and Si11m ' though exactly "·here the Si:11nef:le birds meet the next race cannot
be determined on the ma.tcrial available. This northern race bears
Hodgson's ll<tme, and it is possible that yet another race in N. W.
India should be scpamted, as it is n,gain much larger with a. wing
oC OYer 137 m111. 1'. l. i nte?· Jned i·a8, as its nu. m') denotes, is haU-way betwt~cn
the two extremes, ttnd 71. birds ha,·e a.n average length of wing oE
124 mm.
170. 'l'JU:IlBICEIWX 1:'..1 lUSTltlC'l'A FAJOSTHfOTA.
Bt~cco faiost?·ictus, 'l\mnu. Pl. Col. iii , pl. 227 (1831).
Thm·eive1·y.r f£,wost-J·ictns p1 ·aetm·mi sn.s, Kloss, Ibis, 1918 p.
101. 3 ~ Hup B o11 , 8. E. Siam, 21. 7.15.
Kloss lw.s re:;ently uruned some BctrlJets ohb incd by N eumanu
in south China under th e nn,mc CJ.Uoted :d.J :) \ 'C ou th e grouuds of
rlifl'ereuee in size, bat this reason clues n ot seem to be sufficient.
There are no Chinese birds in the British Museum, but there ttr0 8 or N,mmann's i11 Triug, a:1cl thes:; differ from other birch; in I1/Wi1~g no n cl pc~tch 01~ llw 8irl:; of th'3 th1 ·ocd , a chamctcr whi ch " ·ill sutftce to maintain Kloss' name.
The size of the Chinese birds, as stated by Kloss, is, " wiug measurements 112 to 118 mm." Count Gylclenstolpe has a fine >lc t·icR of 1~ binh, anrl t lwsc llH'IMmrrcl on the curvecl wing a.re betwec11
.JOI..i ltlf. KA 'l. HJ 8T. SO C. SIAM .
A COLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS FROM SIAM. 429
110 and 115 nun., practically exactly tbe sanw as Neumann's; H.obinson r ecords his four birds as OYer 112 mm., and all others, except the type of saiyonensis n•ry between 108 Mld 112 mm.
This type i:; apparently an abnormally small bird of only 102 mm., aud until it is proved that it is not only the type, but tlH:ot it is really typical of a very small South-Eastern race, saigonensis must rank as a synonym of fctiostTid(t.
171. CFIO'l'ORHEA MY::l'l'OCOl>fiANES.
Bucco ?nystocophcmes, Ternm. Pl. Uol. iii, pi. 315 (1824).
o Tung Song, P. Siam, 20.9.15.
'l'his is an extension of the hitherto recorded habitat of this little Barbet, but I can see no difference between this specimen and a series from the Mcoln.y Peninsula.
On the other hand when tt series from the latter locality is compared with a series from Bomoo the femal es oE the Mttlay Peninsula seem to ha v-e a much yellower throat and chin. In the Bornean birds the blue often runs up pru,ctically to the angle of
the bill, and in nearly every case the throat i::;. more or less suffused with this colour. In the Malay Peninsula birds and in those from
South 'l'enasserim the chius and throats are yellO\Yish with no tinge of blue at all.
I cannot separate Obcrholser's sub-species C. m. umpctlct from 'l'ana Balu. All Oberholser says is that it is· la.rgcr with a bigger
reel patch, but he gives no measm3ments for comparison.
172. CHOTOREIEA CHlWSO.POGON CRYSOPOGO~.
Btwco chr!Jsopogon, Temm. Pl. Col. iii, pi. 315 (1824):
2 o ¥ Tuug Song, P. Siam, 14-20.9.15.
The lower surface in these specimens is very green, ancllesH
yellow than in any of th e big series in the Beitish Museum hom any other l o::: ~tliGy, buG they ar~ also better made, freHher skins in
perfect condition, and this may account for the difference. The wings measure between 131 and 134 mm.
173. CYANO.PS ASIATICA ? TNCOGNl'l'A.
Jfegalainu~ incognit(l., Hume, Sbr. Veitt.b . ii, pp. 4 <~2, 4-72. 485 (187 4).
I'OL. HT, r>o . . J., H•J:J.
430 MR. E. C. STUART BAKER ON
o ~ Tung Song, P. Sictm, 24.9.1 5. Thi:-; is a rare and litLle known bird in collections, and it is
with Rome doubt t htt t I a,pply the name to Mr. H erbert's specimens. I ncognita differl:l from a. rr . clc~t· i.soni principa1ly in haYing
the scarlet patch c::mfined to a ~:!pot in t he middle of the na1 c, and not ext ended across i t. It a lso differs in having the chin and throat a \·ery pale Wttshcckmt blue instea,d of an intense a;,ure blue as in
a.sic~tica.
JVIr. Herbort's two birds do not ag ree \\'eJl with inuogn itu , as they ha\-e broad red for eheads, <ond no black moustachiecl streak and
no yello\v feathers round the ey0, whilst the head aboYe is more
blue. .Both specimens arc young bi l'Cls, and in the absence of more adult materi tol, I f'orbear to name t hem, but i t will be interesting to obtain a fm ther series, and l:lee if t hese differences ar e confirmed.
The Eeu,thcr.· on t he :-; idc ot the crown in the olcler bird i1l'c moult ing, a nll the new tc~1th0 rd a rc also blue, shewi ng that t here
will be no clmnge into the broad r ed corona.! band of c~s icdiun.
1 '7 4. CYA~O PS D UVAUCELI. CYANOTi s .
lltwcu cyanotis, Blytb, J. A . S. D. xvi, p. 465 (1 8±7). Jfesobu.ccv clnnmceli 01·ientc6l·is,H.o binson, lbis, p. ·7 :38 (1 915) .
d ~ l:fup Bon, S. E. Siam, 23-2'7 .'7.] 5.
2 d' 2 ~ Iliuhp, E. Siam, 6-8.12.1 5.
The 6 birds,-possibly propu,r ed by the same skinner-:1rc, e\'en to the most minute detail :-; , exactly the same as those from
Ok-Yam, npon which Mr. Robim;on has founded his new sub-species.
JVIr. H erbm:t 's birds :1r0 quite typic:tl cycmotis a,ud are r eplicas of
many others h om Sikkim , Cachar, ~nd Northem Burma. 'rhcy ar e, however, beautiful skins, and shew up <.'tS very clea,n bright Rpecimens when pla.cecl amongst a large numb m· of dirt ier , less well-made .· kins; on thu other hand, they arc in no wn.y dit:l:'er ent from specimens which ar c C!JUally nicely prepa.red. Mr. Robinson r:;cpamtes his ne\1-
sub-spocies on the ground that it is biggo1· th,•u uywwtis with '" wing of 83 and 84 mm.; but C!JC6?Wlis, Jrom all o\·er the a.r ea, it inhabits, runs up to 86 a.nd even 8'7 mm. As r egu,rds the y ellOI\
intermi xtnre in 1;h P n~cl below i·.he eye, Llii :-; ohLains <.tlso in many
A COLLECTION OF BIRD-SK IN S FROM SIAM. 431
individu'11R o,-er an crtnal ly wide 1n·ea, though, often, the feathers
below the eye are injmeu or lost in the preparation of the skin.
17 5. 0ALORA.:\[PHUS FULTGIXOSA HA ¥L
Bucca lw!Ji, .J. E. Gray, Zool. Mise. p. :l3 (!831).
o Tnng Song, P. Si<1m, 24.9.15.
176. XANTHOL.lmA H 1E:UATOCEPHALA. 1 ::\DlCA.
lJttcco inclictts, I,ath. Incl. On.1. i, p. 205 (l 7!10) . Tndin ..
2 r:S 2 ~ Sanscp, Brtngkok, 3-4.7.1 5.
2 ~ Klong Wang Hip, P. Siam, 3-G.10.15.
5 ~ Kmbiu, 0. Sia,m, 30-31.10.1 5.
o Sammy, Bangkok, 6.3.16. The type loc11lity for B1&cco hcemcdocephalns Muller, is the
Philippines, ancl thiB bi1·d lutB a much biggm· bill than that from oLhe1· loc ~tli t i es . including Si11111 , whi ;h muBt b ca1: L'1tham's name o£ inrlim&9. Employin,..; Kloss' excellent method of mea.sming, i. e.,
Eeoll1 the p ::li nt of the noRtl'ils t~ the tip of the bill, I find that in
no case cl oes the bill exceed 15 m m. , and it YarieB from 18 to 15
mm. In the Philippine birch; it iR ne,·er le R than 16, and runs up to 18 mm. In size the bird itReH is much th e same as those from elsowhe1·e, ha.-ing a wing o£ 82 mm. exactly.
In colom the Philippine bird is generally darker, a more hl uiBh gTeon, eRpecially on t he primaries.
·177. OmtACTAs AFFtN rs.
C'om.cias n.fJinis. J)J cfJ!elland, P. Z. S. p. Hl4 ( 18"30).
~ Samkok, 0. Siam , 2l.G.l5.
d ~ Krahio, C. Siam 3-15.11 .15.
'rho c1nestion as to whether Om-rwias n.ffinis and Oo?ocw ias inrlim&8 are m ccR oE the Ram e spccieB is very doubtful. That they are r epresentative species i.s of c urse true, and some naturalists would conBiclcr this sufficient l' ttson to call them sub-species. As a rul e, howe,·er , geogeaphical ra.ces, except island form s, grade into one another gmdu::tlly, wh ere the two forms meet. With these birds Buch is not the Cttse, .for at the principal meeting-place, Eastern Nepal, S ikkim ::tncl Bhnt::tn most specimenR ttre easily r eferable to
YOT, 111.!\0. I, 1~11!1.
432 MR. E. C. STUART BAKER ON
one or the other, some are halfway between the two, whilst others are more one than the other. Certainly, if we judge from the birds obtained iu these districts, we should say that they were t he r esult
of hybrid ization rather than specimens or two forms intergmding. On the other hand, one finds indiYiduals of each form in the
area inhabited by the other : as for inst,ance in Calcutta, specimws of:
C. a.fjinis occur, and again in Cach;w a.ud Sylh et I have seen almost equull y typical Rpecimens or C. O?'ienfalis.
For the present I lea,·e this Roll er under a bi-nomial
1/8. EFRYSTOMUS OlUEN'rALIS CALOXYX.
Bnrystomns ccGlonyrc, Sharpe, P . Z. S. 1890, p. 551, Nepnl.
o Pak J ong, E. Siam, 18.8.15. ~ Muak Lek, E. Siam, 25.8.15.
~ Klong Wang H ip, P. Sia.m, 30.9.15.
The three specimens obtained by Mr. Herbert in Siam, agree well with others in the Bri tish lHuseum from t he ::;ame country
They arc not ,-e ry typic:tl cnlony:c, but ar e nearer this form than o1·ientalis. The secondari es a,nd grea.ter ''ing-co,·erts have a, fair
a,mount of blue on them, but the tails have very li ttle. The differences between E . o. cnlony:r; and E. o. orienfc~li.s are n ot Yer y
great, how sligh1i they ar e is best r ealised wh"tm \Ye find Sharpe often
naming two birds £room the sa.me place, the ono by one na,me and t he other by the second name.
179. lVIrmoPS SUPERCJLIOSUS PFilLIPPINUS.
Jlferops pJ,ilippinus, L io n. Syst. :rn.t. 13th Ed. l , p. 183 (1787) . Type loca lity, Philippin e Islands.
cJ Samkok, C. Siam, 21.6.15. ~ l\tknam, 0. Siu,m, 14.2.16.
180. l\1ELl'l' l'OPUA.GU~ ElW'l'HROCEPHALUS E IWTIIROCEPHALUS.
1l£m·ops e1·ythroceplwl?ts, G melin, Syst. Kat. 1, p. 463 (1778). India.
o Klong \Yang H ip, P. Siam, 2.10.15. Gmeliu's cl scription seems to be quite satisfactory, and th el'e
is no reason why his name should not be used. 'l'he Ol'iginal description of Apiastm· inclicns e1·yth?·ocepha.lus as gi,Te n in Brisson (A'T· 4, p. 563 n. 13, p. 44, f. 8A) is a.lso equally so .
. JOFRN. :\AT. J-ITS1'. SOC. STAM',
A COLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS F.::lOM SIAM. 433
181. Ni"O'l'LOJlNLS AMlOTU S.
Jlle1'0]JS ctmictus, 'J'emrn. P l. Col. iv, p i'. 310 (J 824).
o Tung Sung, P. Siam, 1 2.9.15.
o Kloug Wang Hip , P. Siam, 4. 10.15.
182. CERYLE RU IHS LEUCOJ\IEL,I NUHA
Ce;·!Jle leucumelctnm·a, Reichenbttch, lhml-L. A lced. p. 21, Tar. M)!) B. fig. 3488. (lJeu·. 1E5 l).
cJ 2 ~ Bangkok, 18-2 1. 6.15.
o Samkok, C. Sia nt , 31.8.15.
18:3. ALCEDO lSl'JDA lli!::\GALI:;:\SIS .
• tlceclo benwc,lens·is, Uml. Syst. N<tt. i, p. 450 (1 78H).
2 cS ~ Krabin , C. Siam , 6-16. 11 . 15.
o Pakn am, C. Siam, 14.2.16.
o ~ Samray, B<Lngkok, U.3 .1G.
Samkok, 0. S ittlll, 16.:3.16.
'l'hc wings of the males rncn,su rc frolfl 69 Lu 72 Hlltt ., t~ml the
fetua les from 69 to 71.5 11 1111 . Tlt l'Y thus avemge ;t liLtle Sllta ll ror
this fortH, but poso.;ibly <t larger ser ie:-; wou ld pro1·e to be ol' the
normal standanl. In co lour t hey arc ctni. te typ ical he·;;.ucdell8i8.
184. ALCIWO i\IENINTINU SOIN'l' l LL ,\NS .
• llceclu meninting sc£nt·illcms, Stul11't Baker, lJull .' _U, U. C. I U I H, No. crx:av,ii , p. :Jti .
Type o No. 87.8.20. 169K. Flume Co li. .B. II'I. Ty1)e locality, Ban kasoon.
~ lClong Wang Hip, P. S1am, 1.10.15.
Above this bird is a mtlt el' deeper, nwr c pmple- ullll: Llt;lH
a.sit~ticc~ . (th e proper nu,me for t lt e Llenga.l a ncl Indian 1Jin1 gen er ally
eallecl becwrmi), th is being esp ecial ly twti cettbL.: on the h ead. Scapu
l&.r s black.
Wing 62-66 nuu. ; b ill 3:2-35.5 mill. (l!J f;pecimens).
In North and Centl'al Siam anoth er form is fonnd wLie lt I ha.vc r •~c .mt!y nam 3d .11. ?n. coYc~rti, and \I- llici t ..:x: t ends fL"om Assam
an:::l Sikkim tht'01.Vfl Tinnn t n ') r t, h nE t. lJC abov ': form .~rintiUrt, no; ;tnd .~
in the C hin HillR, Sltan 8t.n,t eH anrl Cm·hin C hitlit. rL is s im ila t· 1,,)
a~itd icu,, bnt a g oo:::l cloa.l smalle l' , ami whon vieweJ ~Ls a su l'i es,
\'O L . 111 , ~0. ±, J UJ U.
•
434 MR. E. C. STUART BAKER ON
rather lighter, lesB black or blue, on the back. The spots on the
wing-coverts are smn,ller, but lighter and ;11ore conspicuous. The
wing varies from 62-69 mm. instead of 69-72 mm. n,s in c~siaticc~.
185. HALCYON PILEATA.
Alcedo p·ilecttct, Bode!. Tab!. PI. En!. p. 41 (1783).
o Krabin, C. Siam, 31.10.15.
o Pn.l.;: Jong, E. Siam, 4.12.15.
o Samray, Bangkok, 17.12.15.
2 o 2 ~ Samray, Bangkok, 7-11.3.16.
Mr. Herbert's fine series of this widely-spread Kingfisher
ca.lls for no remark. Over the whole of its range in China, Siam,
Eunna, India ttnd the Malay Peninsula and the I slands, I can sec no
variat ion in size Qr plum::t.ge which necessitates its division into
geographical races.
1S6. HALCYON SMYRNENSIS l!'USCA .
• ilcedo fusca, Bocld. 'rabl. PI. En!. p. 54 (1783).
o Krabin, C. Siam, 15.11 .15.
Calls for no r emark.
Hs7. CAl'tClNEUTES l'ULCH8LLu.-; AMABILIS.
Cw·cine·utes ctma/;·ilis, Hnme, Str. Featb. i, p. 474 (1873). Type locality, Pegn Hill s.
cS Hup l3on, S. E. Siam, 19.7.15.
o Muak Lek, E. Siam, 24.8.15. ·
~ Tung Song, P. Siam, 17.9.15.
2 o ~ Hinlap, E. Siam, 7.12.15.
'l'he difference between the males of C. p. ptLlchellus gnd C. p WJVLbilis is very slight, though, as Hume points out, the rufous collar
in the btter is obsolet e or very ill-defined. The females are, how
ever, conspicuously different from one .another, those from Tenas
serim northwards and eastwards l:HJing much redder above than those
from south of that province. 'l'he under-parts, also, are somewhat
less boldly spotted.
'Che gradation in size from north to south is not very marked
north and centra.l Burmese birds run from 81 to 94 nun. in wing
measmemept, those hou1 so uth Burma and Siam 80 to 90 mm.,
and those from the lVIalay Peninsula from 7 8 to 8 7 mm.
JOIJRN. NAT. UIST. SOC. SIA:Il.
•
A COLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS FROM SIAM.
The Siamese birds vary between 87 and 91 mm.
188. SAUlWPATIS CHLORlS CHLORTS.
435
Alcedo cltlm·is, Bodd. Tfl.bl. Pl. En!. p. 49, Lath. Syn. B. i, p. 620 (1783).
Type locality, "Bouru, . one of the Moluccn. I slands."
3 o Bangkok, 4.6.15. and G-7.3.16. o M:eklong, C. Siam, 20.6.15.
Robinson (Ibis 191.1, p. 34) has already pointed out that
Sauropatis humei and Sau1·opatis nnnst1·onr;i are one and the same
bird, and he adds that he doubts whether they are not identical with
S. chloris. • With Robinson's conclusions I am in complete accord,
and after a most careful consideration of the mass of material in the
British Museum-about 200 specimens-h::we no doubt that all three
so-·calledraces must be lumped together.
' 189. RAi\IPHALCYON CAPENSlS BURMANICA.
Pdla1·gopsis Lw·rnanicc~, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1870 p. 67 (Tounghoo).
2 o o Krabin, C. Siam, 29.] 0 and 4-10.11.15.
Sharpe's diYision of this Kingfisher into different species ha:;;
led tJ the most curious confusion. H e admitted t'vo and even three
subspecies from t he same locality, and the consequent mixture of cl.i rfcrent species under the same name, and splitting up of other species
under various names, has rendered the magnificent series in th e
British Museum very difficult to work. The result of my recent; ex
amination has been given in Novit~1tes Z oologic:n, 1919, and therein it
is shewn that the Siamese birds are all of this race, which is widely
extended over the whole of Burma, Siam and Cochin ChintL.
The wings or :Mr. Herbert.'s birds va,ry from 143 to 154 mm.,
and the bills from 67 to 72 mm.
] 90.· DICHOCEROS BICORNlS.
Buceros bicomis, Linn. Syst. Nn.t . i, p. l 5B (1766) .
~ Hup Bon, S. E. Siam., 20.7.15.
191. ANORRH.le\' US Gi..LERlTUS.
B1.tee1·os gc~le1·it~~, Temm. Pl. Col. pl. 520 (1824) .
~ Tung Song, P. Siam, 15.9. 15.
VOL. liT, NO. i, )!ll!J,
436 M.R. E· C . STUART BAKER ON
192, AN'I'HRA.COCEROS ALB IROSTRIS ALBrROSTRIS.
Buceros a./bi1·ostris, Shaw and Norlcl. Na.t . .M: i,;c. x ix. p . 81 !) (1700).
2 o ~ H np Tion, S. E. Siam, 17- 24.7. 15. (wing o o 270 and
27G mm., ~ 244 mm.)
Gmelin 'H .name ??Wlnba?~ir·ug does not apply to this bird n,t n,l l.
His bird is named aJt::Jr th e Calao de lVfalabar , Buffon, Hist. Nat. des
Ois., and here a good pbte is given which shews t hat ma.labm· i.c1.~g
is the same as r·oJ·mutfn~, t he ont C\ r tail feathers pr·o\·ing th is beyond
a ll doubt..
A haw a.ncl N odd er give both descript ion and plate of alniTo.s
f?· ig f1·om India, and it is proba.ble that t he proper name for the
l"lmmeso form is lmrogcM?Im· of Blyth (J·. A. S. B. x, p. 922, J 841)
cl es(; riberl' from a binl se11t by a Mr. Bark from 'l'enrtHsorim with
s'1mc other skill'\ o[ hinh and mammals.
19 ~. UPUPA EI'OP.~ LO~GJROSTRrs.
rr71'.1.pn longi}'()sl1·is, J er<lon, H. of Incl. i, p. 38:1 (l 864 ).
o ~ Chan Tcnk , E. Sia.m, 0-14.8.15.
o Kr,tb in, C. S ia·,ll , 12.11..1? .
A ll ra.ccs of: the Eastem Hoopoc, i. 1" . , of races aast of Sikkim ,
a.rc dist inguished by being much large t· than t hoRe to the west, and
with ha ving an even proportionately longer bill on an a ,·erage, t hough
<1hnormal bi1·dR are ronnel c\·erywhere with very long bilk Thus in
Ceylon the average is only 47.5 mm. in a small series, but there is
one h ircl with n. hill of 57 mm. In South ern India a large Reri eR
:werages 48 lll m. exactly, hut there is one specimen which has a bill
of' 7!-3 mm .
Assam bi1·dR <H'C hnge, and ha,·e wings a Yeraging 146.1 nnn.
and bili R of !54 lllnt. , Burmese birds have these measurementR res
pect ively, 189.5 mm. and 54.5 mm., whi iRt Siam hirdH have wingR of
142.5 mm. and bill s jnRt over 51 mm. Under the circumstances I retain them under t he name
longi?·ostTis, the AsRam hirdR Conning a link wi th t he st ill larger
Tibetn.n form .wd1.~Tnlu,.
194<. C,\P!UMULGUS MACRURUS JH]I[ACULATUS.
Oa.p1·im.u.lgus bimnc1lla.t7ts, Peale, U. S. Exped. En. vol. viii, p. 170 (1848).
JOlfl!\'. NAT. HlST. SOC. SlAIII.
A COLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS FROM SIAM. 437
o ~ Klm tg Wang Hip, P. Siam, 8-9.10.15.
o - ~ Kra.bin, C. Siam, 1-5.11.15. ~ Pak Jong, E. Siam, 2.12.15.
o ~ Hinlap, E. Siam, 9.12.15.
Oberholser has ~hewn (Proc. U. S. Mns., Y. l e, p. 595, 191 5) that the name bin~ac1.dat1.L8 precede~ Hartert's nmbirJ1.L1.LS for this
race of nuwruru.s. Mr. Hm·bert's Siame~e bird~ a,re Yery large, three of the
female~ measuring 200, 201 and 211 mm. rc~pecti ,·el y.
195. CAPRnfULGUS ASIATICUS.
Cap1·irnulgus asic~ticus, Lath. Incl. Om. ii, p. 588 (1790).
~ Bangkok, 6.6.15.
'J'hi~ specimE::n has a wing of 146 mm.
196. CAPRtMULGus M:ONTICOLes.
Gc~p1·imulgus m.onticolus, Franklin, P. Z. S. p. ] 16, 18::11.
o Paknampho, 2.12.13. (Wing 192 mm.)
197. LYNCORNIS CERV!NlCEPS C'ERVINICEPS.
Lyncomis cen;in·iceps, Gould, Icon. Av. pt .. ii, pl. 14 (1838).
o Muak L ek, E. Siam, 24.8.15. (Wing 308 mm .)
South Indian birds have been ~eparatecl as L. c. bmL1·d·illoni.
They average in wing mea~mement 279 mm. a~ again~t 301 mm. in
20 Burmese bird s.
A Luzon bird w ith a. wing of only 277 mm. also differs in
being very richly coloured.
198. 'J'ACIIOH.NIS BAT1'ASlENSIS 1:'\LrUMATUS.
Cypselus inju7;wtus, Scla.tel', P. Z. S. J 865, p. 602. (Borneo).
o Samkok, C. Siam, 17.3.16.
199. HARPACTES DUVAUCELL
T1·ogc~n dltvct~welii, Temm. PI. Col. pl. 291 (1824).
o 'rung Song, P. Siam, 17.9.15.
200. HARPACTES ORESKTOS.
Jiw·pctctes 01·eskios, Temm. PI. Col. pl. 181. (1823).
o Hup Bon, S. E. Siam, 21.7.15.
o Muak L ek, E. Siam, 23.8.15.
VOL. III, NO. 4, 1919.
438 MR. E· C. STUART BAKER ON
~ Krabin, C. Siam, 17.11.15.
o ~ Klong Bang Lai, P. Siam, 2.2.16. The wings of Mr. Herbert's series range from 120 to 128
mm., the female being the largest.
201. PYROTROGAN DlARDI NEGLEC'ruS.
Py1·ot?·ogan neglectus, Forbes a nd Robiuson, Bull. Liver. M us. ii, p. 34 (1899) .
o Tung Song, P. Siam, 13.9.15. This appears to be the first record of this grand 'fl'ogan from
so far north as Siam.
202. HIEROCOCCYX SPARVEROIDES SPARVEROIDES.
Hie?·ococcyx spct?·ve?·oides, Vigors, P. Z. S. 1831, p. 173.
o Krabin, C. Siam, 6.11.15. This is a most beautiful specimen, very pale and brightly
coloured ·with the whole of the upper parts a pale slate-grey with no tinge of brown except to a slight extent on the wing quills. I have
never seen a specimen similar to this, and it will be very interesting to ascertain if other Siamese birds attain a similar grey plumage. It is impossible to nn,me a wandering bird such as this is from a
single specimen, but more should be obtained.
203. HIEROCOCCYX FUGAX NANUS.
Hie?·ococcJJX ncm~ts, Hume Stt-. Feath. v, p. 490 (1877). ~ Maprit, P. Siam, 10.1.16. Wing 145 mm. Apparently the first record of this Cuckoo
from Siam.
204. CAC011IAN1'IS :MERULINUS i\fERULINUS.
(Juculus me1·ulimt8, Scop. Del. Flor. et Faun. Insubr. ii, p. 89 (1786).
~ Samray, Bangkok, 16.12.15.
0 Hua Takhae, C. Siam, 10.2.16. Both birds are qmte typical mertdinus.
205. PENTHOCERYX SONNERATI SONNERATI.
Cucul~ts sonne1·atii, Lath. 1 nd. Orn. i, p. 215 (1790). India.
~ Hup Bon, S. E. Siam. 25.7.15. 'rhe Siamese birds appear to belong to the typical Burmese
and Indian form. In the south of Peninsular Siam one would
JOURN, NAT. HJST. SOC. SIAM,
Page 440, line 14.
Do. line 15.
ERRATA.
For PHCENICOPH1ES read PHCENICOPHAES.
For Phamicophccs read Phomicophaes.
I\ COLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS FROM SIAM . 441
Siam birds agree with typical chlorophwa, from Sumatra. I
am not able to distinguish between specimens from Sumatra, Malay Peninsula and Tenasserim. The Bornean birds are distinguishable
by the females having the under parts much more rufous. The
males hardly differ from those from Sul!latra, thotJgh they are
possibly more richly and brightly coloured on the whole.
212. CARPOCOCCYX RENAULDI.
Ca1·pococcyx renauldi, Oust. Bull. Mus. Paris, p. 314 (1896).
o ~ Pak Jong, E. Siam, 19.8.15.
This magnificent Cuckoo has hitherto been known only by
the single specimen, in the Paris Museum, w,l1ich was very kindly
lent to me for comparison with the above birds.
Oustalet's single bird was obtained in Annam, so that Siam
forms a great extension of its habitat. Both specimens are in heavy
moult, but have perfect wings and tails, though the latter are not in
full moult.
The measurements are as follows:-
WingR, 284 and 272 mm.; tails, 330 and 325 mm.; bill from
base of forehead to tip, 49 and 48 mm.; tarsi, 98 and 93 mrn.; the
male is the bigger bird, and the tails are in full moult.
Bill deep coral red, paler at base and on gonys ; legs deep coral
red, toes and soles paler.
Forehead grey; whole head, neck, upper back and breast
black; back, scapulars and lesser wing coverts grey, palest next
the black neck and finely vermiculatecl with dark grey; quills
black ·with a purple sheen; innermost secondaries green-grey,
gradually changing to the grey of the coverts; rump strongly tinged
with green, upper tail coverts deep green-blue, tail purple-blue ;
lower parts creamy white, finely vermiculated with bars of grey on
flanks and thigh coverts.
213. CENTROPUS SINENSIS INTEmfEDlUS.
Gent?·ococcyx inte1'1ned·i·us, Hume, Str. Feath. i, p. 454 (1873).
d Samkok, C. Siam, 21.6.15.
o juv. Hup Bon, S. E. Siam, 23.7.15.
o ~ Klong Wang Hip, P. Siam, 2-3.10.15.
VOL. III, NO . ·1, l!ll!l.
442 MR. E. C. STUART BAKER ON
~ Krabin, C. Siam, 12.11.15. ~ Pak Jong, E. Siam, 3.12.15.
Streseman has dealt with these Cuckoos at some length in
Novitates Zoologicae, vol. xx, p. 321, but his geographical ranges are very unsatisfactory. Manipur and Cac)lar, according to him, are
occupied by different races. Mr. Herbert's specimens have the wings varying between 191 and 210 mm. (juv. o 191 mm.) and the bills very large, ranging from 26 to 29 mm. if measured from the edge of
the nostril, and up to 39 mm. if measured from the forehead to the
tip. They have, of course, the interscapulars red, not black.
214. CENTROPUS BENGALENSIS.
Oucul1.t8 benqalens·i.s. Gm. Sy~. Nat. i, p. 412 (1788).
o ~ Krabin , C. Siam, 1-6.11.15. 'fhese specimens call for no remark.
215. PALiEORNlS CYANOCEPHALUS CYANOCEPIIALUS.
Psittcwus cyanocephalus, Lion. Sp::t. Nat. i, p. 141 (1766).
-5 ~ Chan 'l'euk, E. Siam, 12.8.15. These t·wo birds call for no r emark.
216. PALiEORNIS ALEXANDRI FASClA~'A.
Psittcbcusjcbscicbt~ts, Mull. S. N. Suppl.lp. 746. f. (1776).
o Samkok, C. Siam, 20.6.15. c:S ~ Hup Bon, S. E. Siam, 16.7.15.
c:S ~ Pak Jong, E. Siam, 16.8.15. 2 c:S c:S juv. 2 ~ Krabin, C. Siam, 3-9.11.15.
The wings of the males run from 149 to 164 mm. and of the
females from 143 to 156. 'fhe smallest adult male is 155 mm. These birds are r~:tther small when compared with North
· Indian and Burmese specimens, but are otherwise exactly similar. The females and young males have the bills wholly black as in true
fasciata. 217. LORICULUS VERNALIS.
Psittcbcus ve1:1ubl·is, Spnnm. Mus. Carls., p. 29 (1787).
2 o ~ Hup Bon, S. E. Siam, 16-27.7.15. o !';? Pak Jong, E. Siam, 18-21.8.15. ~ Klong Bang Lai, P. Siam, 20.1.16 .
\ ' li't •. >< ~,!{ : .
.!.'"{';~i~ _:::Ji: . ,_~ . . 't~}i. r
• TOURN , NAT. lliST. SOC. S IAJ\1.
A COLLECTION OF BIRD-SKINS FROM SIAM. 443
These little Lorikeets call for no remark They are all quite typical. •
It is very doubtful 'vh eth[)r pusillus f rom J ava, with its
yellow throat , should be considered a sub-species of this bird, as t he
colour of this part in Loriculus ·seems to be of specific value, i . ~ . , bluish in vernali s, yellow in pusillus and r ed in .floscul1.~s and exilis, nor does there seem. to be a ny running of the one into the ot her as
one would expect in geogra phical races.
( To be continued. )
VOL. III1 NO. 41 1919 , Ploperty of tb.e
Siam Society's Li brarv BANCKOJ<